Friday 8 March 2024

Blenheim Palace: A Monument to Victory

Blenheim Palace was built by the 1st Duke of Marlborough following his victory at Blenheim in 1704 during the War of the Spanish Succession. Built in the short-lived English Baroque style it is now a UNESCO Work Heritage Site and home to the Victory Tapestries. Designed by Lambert de Hondt they commemorate Marlborough's victories at Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudenaarde and Malplaquet. 


Perhaps unsurprisingly I took a LOT of pictures as well as video, and most of them couldn't make it into my short film (not without bloating it to 30 minutes +). So here are a few still shots taken during my visit to tempt you. Please check out the video and if you get a chance do visit Blenheim Palace. My pictures and film simply can't do justice to the magnificence of the building and nothing beats seeing these things with the Mk 1 Eyeball. 















7 comments:

  1. I visited it some years ago, when I was also presenting a paper at Oxford. It was quite impressive. One of its lesser treasures that I saw were the toy soldiers Winston Churchill played with as a child. Everything about the place is fascinating.

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    1. The entry ticket gives access for a year (maybe a bit difficult for you, living in the US). I live just a couple of hours away, so if I get the opportunity I'd like to go back for a second look.

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  2. Note: I am from New Mexico in the United States.

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  3. Replies
    1. Thanks you. It was hard not to take good pictures in a location as visually rich as this.

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  4. Having visited I would agree that nothing quite replaces actually visiting the palace and grounds.

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    1. I'm definitely going to have to go again, maybe in the summer when we can explore the gardens a bit more. It was foggy when we arrived and by lunchtime it had brightened up but it was bitterly cold.

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